The present invention relates to an apparatus for opening and cleaning fiber tufts, particularly of cotton, the apparatus being of the type including a cylinder provided with card clothing and disposed downstream of a feeding apparatus for gripping the fiber material and transporting it on. Cleaning elements, such as a grate, blades, fixed carding elements or the like and a discharge device are associated with such cylinder.
In a known opener and cleaner which operates without fast-holded stroke, impurities are pressed through the gap passages into the card clothing so that the clothing is deformed. Although this cleaner exhibits a relatively good cleaning effect, this drawback has been found to be very annoying in practical operation.